Minnesota Natural Park Wonders
National and State Wonders Found in the North Star State:
National Scenic Rivers:
Minnesota State Parks,
Campgrounds, Recreational Areas:
State Scenic Roads and Byways:
Minnesota, known for its 10,000 lakes (even if it's more like 12,000 lakes), is also home to more than 6,500 natural rivers and streams, as well as great forests and gently rolling plains formed when glaciers moved over the area.
Let us be your guide to discovering these natural wonders. Follow the links below to obtain more information, insider tips, and pictures, as well as ideas for where to stay when visiting.
National Parks:
Voyageurs National Park
National Monuments:
Grand Portage National Monument. Established: 1958. [Official Site] Pipestone National Monument. Established: 1937. [Official Site]
National Scenic Trails:
North Country National Scenic Trail [Official Site]
National Recreation Trails:
Cut Foot Sioux National Recreation Trail East Grand Forks/Grand Forks Greenway Trail Gateway State Trail Heartland State Trail Lake Wobegon Trail Mahnomen Wildlife Trail North Fork Crow River Trail Ritter Farm Park Trail Rydell Refuge Trail Shingobee National Recreation Trail Superior Hiking Trail Taconite Trail
National Recreation Areas:
Mississippi National River and Recreation Area. Location: central east Minnesota, protecting 72-mile corridor along Mississippi River, including part that flows through Minneapolis and St. Paul, and administered by the National Park Service. [Official Site]
National Forests:
Chippewa National Forest. Location: Cass Lake, Minnesota. [Official Site] Superior National Forest. Location: Duluth, Minnesota. [Official Site]
National Scenic Rivers:
Saint Croix National Scenic Riverway [Official Site]
National Wildlife Refuges:
Agassiz National Wildlife Refuge Big Stone National Wildlife Refuge Big Stone Wetland Management District Crane Meadows National Wildlife Refuge Detroit Lakes Wetland Management District Fergus Falls Wetland Management District Glacial Ridge National Wildlife Refuge Hamden Slough National Wildlife Refuge Litchfield Wetland Management District Mille Lacs National Wildlife Refuge Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge Minnesota Valley Wetland Management District Morris Wetland Management District Northern Tallgrass Prairie National Wildlife Refuge Rice Lake National Wildlife Refuge Rydell National Wildlife Refuge Sherburne National Wildlife Refuge Tamarac National Wildlife Refuge Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife & Fish Refuge Windom Wetland Management District
National Wilderness Areas:
Agassiz Wilderness Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness Tamarac Wilderness
National Scenic Roads and Byways:
Edge of the Wilderness Scenic Byway Grand Rounds Scenic Byway Great River Road Gunflint Trail Scenic Byway Historic Bluff Country Scenic Byway Minnesota River Valley Scenic Byway North Shore Scenic Drive Paul Bunyan Scenic Byway
Minnesota State Parks,
Campgrounds, Recreational Areas:
Afton State Park Banning State Park Bear Head Lake State Park Beaver Creek Valley State Park Big Bog State Recreation Area Big Stone Lake State Park Blue Mounds State Park Buffalo River State Park Camden State Park Carley State Park Cascade River State Park Charles A. Lindbergh State Park Crow Wing State Park Cuyuna Country State Recreation Area Father Hennepin State Park Flandrau State Park Forestville/Mystery Cave State Park Fort Ridgely State Park Fort Snelling State Park Franz Jevne State Park Frontenac State Park Garden Island State Recreation Area
George H. Crosby Manitou State Park Glacial Lakes State Park Glendalough State Park Gooseberry Falls State Park Grand Portage State Park Great River Bluffs State Park Greenleaf Lake State Recreation Area Hayes Lake State Park Hill Annex Mine State Park Interstate State Park Itasca State Park Jay Cooke State Park John A. Latsch State Park Judge C.R. Magney State Park Kilen Woods State Park Lac qui Parle State Park Lake Bemidji State Park Lake Bronson State Park Lake Carlos State Park Lake Louise State Park Lake Maria State Park Lake Shetek State Park Lake Vermilion State Park Maplewood State Park McCarthy Beach State Park Mille Lacs Kathio State Park
Minneopa State Park Minnesota Valley State Recreation Area Monson Lake State Park Moose Lake State Park Myre - Big Island State Park Mystery Cave State Park Nerstrand Big Woods State Park Old Mill State Park Red River State Recreation Area Rice Lake State Park St. Croix State Park Sakatah Lake State Park Savanna Portage State Park Scenic State Park Schoolcraft State Park Sibley State Park Soudan Underground Mine State Park Split Rock Creek State Park Split Rock Lighthouse State Park Temperance River State Park Tettegouche State Park Upper Sioux Agency Whitewater State Park Wild River State Park William O'Brien State Park Zippel Bay State Park
State Scenic Roads and Byways:
Apple Blossom Scenic Drive Avenue of Pines - TH 46, Deer River to Northome Glacial Ridge Trail Scenic Byway Highway 75- King of Trails Scenic Byway Lady Slipper Scenic Byway Lake Country Scenic Byway Otter Trail Scenic Byway Rushing Rapids Parkway Shooting Star Wildflower and Historic Route Scenic Byway Skyline Parkway Scenic Byway St. Croix Scenic Byway Superior National Forest Scenic Byway Veterans Evergreen Memorial Drive Waters of the Dancing Sky Scenic Byway
Explore Minnesota: 888-VISIT-MN